Year: 2025

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Stay Cool and Protected: Summer PPE Checklist for Heat Stress

As temperatures rise, workplaces face new challenges, especially those in high-heat environments. Whether working outdoors or in factories with limited ventilation, excessive heat can lead to decreased productivity, fatigue, and serious health risks.

With National Heat Awareness Day on May 30th, now is the time to assess workplace conditions and provide workers with the right personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure safety and comfort throughout the summer.

Understanding Heat Stress

Heat stress occurs when the body struggles to regulate temperature, leading to:

  • Fatigue
  • Dehydration
  • Dizziness
  • Heat Stroke

When workers are exposed to extreme heat for prolonged periods, the risk of heat-related illnesses increases significantly.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), between 5 million and 10 million American workers are exposed to outdoor heat beyond safe levels each year (epa.gov). The consequences can be severe, but proper education and selecting the right personal protective equipment (PPE) can significantly reduce the risk of heat-related injuries.

For more insights into heat stress, check out our recent blog: Mastering Heat Stress: Your Guide to Workplace Safety.

Your Summer PPE Checklist

Stay ahead of heat stress with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed to keep you cool, comfortable, and protected in high-temperature conditions.

What to Prioritize This Season:

Moisture-Wicking High-Visibility Apparel

High-visibility safety apparel is a must-have when working in low-light conditions or around heavy machinery. During the summer months, choose moisture-wicking, lightweight fabrics that are designed to pull sweat away from the body, keeping you cool, dry, and comfortable.

Recommended Products:

🔗 C16620G Class 2 Short Sleeve T-Shirt

🔗 C16621G Class 2 Short Sleeve Segmented Heat Transfer Tape T-Shirt

🔗 C16730G Class 3 Long Sleeve T-Shirt

🔗 C16731G Class 3 Long Sleeve Hooded Segmented Heat Transfer Tape T-Shirt

Cooling Towels

Cooling towels provide a fast and effective way to combat heat stress, enabling workers to stay cool and comfortable in high-temperature environments. Our Blue PVA Cooling Towel is designed to keep you cool for over 5 hours, depending on humidity levels. Soak, wring, and wear around the neck or head for instant relief.

Recommended Products:

🔗 1930B Blue PVA Cooling Towel

ANSI Z87.1+ Compliant Safety Eyewear

Protecting your eyes from harmful sun exposure is as crucial as protecting your skin. Opt for safety glasses with full-spectrum UV protection to reduce eye strain, glare, and long-term damage.

Our BrandX™ X6 & X7 series feature Hydrophilic anti-fog technology, which absorbs moisture and distributes it evenly across the lens to prevent fogging—ideal for humid environments with temperature fluctuations.

For added protection, our 1764RG full-frame safety glasses feature polarized lenses that minimize excessive brightness and enhance visibility in outdoor work conditions.

Recommended Products:

🔗 X6 Premium Semi-Rimless Safety Eyewear

🔗 X7 Premium Rimless Safety Eyewear

🔗 1764RG Polarized Lens Full Frame Safety Glasses

Full Brim and Vented Cap Hard Hats

Hard hats are critical to workplace safety. Full-brim models provide added sun protection, shielding the face, neck, and ears from direct UV exposure while maintaining essential safety coverage. Vented designs enable better air circulation, helping to regulate temperature and alleviate discomfort.

Recommended Products:

🔗 1416R Full Brim Style Hard Hat

🔗 1426R Vented Cap Style Hard Hat

ECODEX Eco-Friendly Coated Safety Gloves

Choosing the right safety gloves is key to ensuring both protection and comfort. ECODEX gloves, featuring Air-urea™ coating technology, provide 360° breathability, helping regulate body temperature while keeping hands cool, dry, and comfortable for extended wear.

The ECODEX General Purpose Glove line offers three options tailored for lightweight, medium-weight, and heavy-weight protection.

For advanced safety, the ECODEX Cut Resistant Glove line delivers protection against medium-high to extreme cut hazards, with ratings ranging from A5 to A9.

Recommended Products:

🔗 H7SF300 Light Weight General Purpose Gloves

🔗 H7300 Medium Weight General Purpose Gloves

🔗 H7400 Heavy Weight General Purpose Gloves

🔗 H76005 ANSI A5 Cut-Resistant Gloves

🔗 H76007 ANSI A7 Cut-Resistant Gloves

🔗 H76009 ANSI A9 Cut-Resistant Gloves

High-Visibility Neck Shades

Stay cool and protected on the job with neck shades designed to attach securely to hard hats. These shades provide extra coverage for the neck, blocking direct sunlight to reduce heat absorption and prevent sunburn—making them an essential part of any heat stress prevention plan.

Liberty Safety neck shades are available in high-visibility green and orange, ensuring you stay both cool and seen on the job site.

Recommended Products:

🔗 NS161G | NS161F Cap Style Hard Hat Neck Shade

🔗 NS162G | NS162F Full Brim Hard Hat Neck Shade

Stay Safe, Stay Cool

With the right PPE, you can protect your workforce from heat-related injuries. Don’t wait until the summer heat makes an impact— take proactive measures now to reduce the risk of heat stress and improve workplace safety.

🔗 Need expert recommendations? Explore our full lineup of summer-ready PPE solutions here.

Your Safety is our Priority. It’s all part of our Freedom in Full Gear Promise!

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See Clearly, Stay Safe: Choosing the Right Safety Eyewear Lens for Your Work Environment

Protective eyewear is essential for preventing workplace eye injuries. According to the CDC, approximately 300,000 workers in the U.S. visit emergency rooms each year due to job-related eye injuries. These incidents result in an estimated $300 million in annual costs, including workers’ compensation, medical expenses, and lost productivity, as reported by OSHA.

The good news? Most of these incidents are preventable—all it takes is a simple, proactive step: wearing the right protective eyewear.

In this article, we’ll explore safety eyewear lens types and their applications across various work environments, helping you make informed choices to See Clearly and Stay Safe.

Why Optics Matter

Light enters the eye through the cornea and passes to a convex lens, bending to focus on the retina. From there, images are processed and sent to the brain via the optic nerve. This natural process faces challenges in the workplace as the eyes are exposed to various light hazards.

Protective lenses are vital for shielding vision from these hazards, but not all lenses are created equal. Imperfect optics can bend light incorrectly, causing the eye muscles to adjust constantly. Over time, this strain can lead to eye fatigue, headaches, and reduced focus, compromising workplace safety.

Lens color also plays a significant role. Different tints filter and adjust light to optimize optical clarity for specific tasks and environments. By reducing strain and improving visibility, the right lens color makes it easier to perform tasks safely and effectively.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Lens

Selecting the appropriate lens type involves more than just choosing a color. Consider the following factors to ensure optimal performance and protection:

  1. Lighting Conditions: Determine whether your work involves natural light, dim environments, or artificial lighting such as sodium vapor or LED.
  2. Work Environment: Identify hazards like glare, reflective surfaces, or exposure to blue or infrared light. The right lens can mitigate these risks.
  3. Task Requirements: Assess job-specific needs, such as precise color recognition, enhanced depth perception, or improved contrast.
  4. Comfort and Fit: Opt for eyewear that fits securely and comfortably. Adjustable frames and lightweight designs help ensure a perfect fit.

Another important consideration is fogging. Fogged lenses can obstruct vision and pose safety risks. For additional insights, check out our blog on Choosing the Right Anti-Fog Coating.

Common Lens Colors and Their Applications

Choosing the correct lens color is essential for optimal protection and performance.

Here’s a guide to commonly used lens colors and their applications:

  1. Clear: Ideal for indoor use with normal lighting conditions, offering maximum visibility and impact protection.
  2. Gray: Reduces glare and eye strain, perfect for outdoor use in bright sunlight.
  3. Neutral Gray: Maintains true color perception while reducing glare, ideal for tasks requiring accurate color recognition.
  4. Light Blue: Neutralizes yellow light, enhancing contrast in environments with sodium vapor lighting.
  5. Amber: Blocks blue light, enhancing contrast and brightness in low-light conditions; great for foggy or overcast environments.
  6. Brown/Mocha: Enhances contrast and depth perception, often used outdoors in natural environments.
  7. Orange: Blocks blue light, improving contrast and sharpness; commonly used in low-light environments.
  8. Infrared: Protects against infrared radiation, often used in specialized industrial applications.
  9. Mirror Coatings (Blue Mirror, Silver Mirror, Brown Mirror): Reflects sunlight and reduces glare, making them ideal for outdoor use in bright conditions.
  10. Polarized Lenses: Available in shades like gray or brown, designed to reduce glare from reflective surfaces—perfect for outdoor work.
  11. Indoor/Outdoor: A versatile option with a light mirror coating, suitable for transitioning between indoor and outdoor settings.

Liberty Safety: See Clearly, Stay Safe

At Liberty Safety, we understand that every worker and task demands the right eyewear. BrandX™ and iNOX™ are engineered to deliver the perfect solution for “Seeing Clearly and Staying Safe,” delivering optimal vision without compromising safety compliance.

BrandX™ Premium Safety Eyewear goes beyond the ordinary, combining durability, modern style, and superior performance—on and off the job.

iNOX™ Trusted Safety Eyewear delivers unbeatable value and protection, offering high-quality, cost-effective solutions with all the essential safety features —providing the reliability workers can trust.

Choose BrandX™ and iNOX™ for your safety eyewear needs and experience the perfect blend of protection and performance. Each pair is designed to meet the highest safety standards, ensuring that workers remain safe and productive throughout the day.

Learn More Online at – libertysafety.com/products/eye-protection/

Your safety is our priority — it’s all part of our Freedom in Full Gear Promise.

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Choosing the Right Anti-Fog Coating: Hydrophobic vs. Hydrophilic                                                    

Your safety is our priority—it’s all part of our Freedom in Full Gear Promise.

We’re excited to introduce our BrandX™ Premium Safety Eyewear Line, featuring advanced technology for superior protection and clarity, helping you “See Clearly and Stay Safe.”

A common concern among working professionals and outdoor enthusiasts is fogged lenses. Whether in industrial settings, working in extreme temperatures, or transitioning between different environments, fogged lenses can obstruct vision and create safety risks. Many eyewear brands use anti-fog coatings; how do you choose the best one?

In this article, we’ll explore the differences between permanent and temporary anti-fog coatings and how these apply to hydrophobic vs. hydrophilic anti-fog, helping you make an informed decision in choosing the best solution for your eyewear.

Permanent vs. Temporary Anti-Fog

One of the key distinctions with anti-fog is whether the coating is permanent or temporary.

  • Permanent Anti-Fog Coatings: These coatings are integrated directly into the lens during manufacturing, offering durable, extended protection against fog. Once applied, permanent coatings do not require reapplication or special maintenance, making them ideal for industries needing durable eyewear.
  • Temporary Anti-Fog Coatings: In contrast, temporary anti-fog coatings are applied to the lens surface and may need to be reapplied periodically. These coatings provide fog protection but are less durable than permanent options. Over time, they can wear off due to cleaning, moisture, or regular use. While cost-effective, they may not be ideal when working in challenging environments.

Hydrophobic vs. Hydrophilic Anti-Fog

Now, let’s dive into the differences between hydrophobic and hydrophilic anti-fog coatings, each offering unique benefits depending on your needs and work conditions.

  • Hydrophobic Anti-Fog Coatings: These coatings repel water, causing moisture to bead up and roll off the lens. They are effective in dry or moderately humid environments but may not perform as well in high humidity, where fogging is more likely.
  • Hydrophilic Anti-Fog Coatings: In contrast, hydrophilic coatings absorb moisture and spread it evenly across the lens to prevent fogging. They excel in humid environments where temperature fluctuations cause fogging, providing more consistent protection.

BrandX™ Premium Safety Eyewear with ClearGARD™ Hydrophilic Anti-Fog

Every pair of BrandX™ Premium Safety Eyewear comes equipped with ClearGARD™ Hydrophilic Anti-Fog, a cutting-edge, heat-cured coating designed for premium performance and extended clarity.

ClearGARD™ Hydrophilic Anti-Fog Coating offers exceptional resistance to chemicals and UV exposure. Its hydrophilic properties quickly absorb moisture and eliminate fog, providing consistent, reliable protection in humid environments.

What sets ClearGARD™ Hydrophilic Anti-Fog apart from the competition is its proprietary, non-soap-based polymer bond integrated directly into the polycarbonate lenses. This ensures the coating won’t wear off or degrade over time, providing a more durable solution than traditional anti-fog coatings.

Choosing the right anti-fog coating is essential for maintaining clear vision and ensuring safety and productivity, both on and off the job. For reliable, high-performance eyewear that provides clear vision all day, BrandX™ is the perfect choice.

Visit the BrandX Product Page online to learn more.

Clear Vision, Comfort Redefined

With BrandX™, you can rely on dependable fog protection in a sleek, modern design built for the most demanding environments. Refuse to settle for the ordinary—choose eyewear that helps you “See Clearly and Stay Safe.”

Visit the BrandX Product Page to learn more and explore our full range of premium safety eyewear.

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Spark Heat vs. Contact Heat Protection: Choosing the Right Work Gloves for Thermal Safety

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Workplace safety remains critical in industries where thermal hazards are prevalent. For workers in fields like welding, grinding, and metalworking, exposure to heat is a daily reality. Selecting the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) can mean the difference between protection and severe injury.

Heat exposure can be categorized into two main types: spark heat and contact heat. Each presents unique risks and requires specific protective features in gloves. In this guide, we break down the key differences between spark and contact heat, the applications for each, and offer tips to help ensure your team is equipped with the proper hand protection for thermal safety.

Understanding Heat Protection in Work Gloves

What is Spark Heat?

Spark heat is caused by:

  • Activities: Applications such as welding, grinding, or cutting metal that generate bursts of high-temperature sparks.
  • Duration: Exposure to spark heat is typically brief and sporadic.
  • Impact on Gloves: Sparks briefly touch the glove surface, so the gloves must be able to resist igniting, melting, or burning upon exposure.

What is Contact Heat?

Contact heat occurs from:

  • Activities: Handling hot materials, operating heated machinery, or touching molten surfaces.
  • Duration: The exposure is prolonged or continuous, requiring sustained hand protection against heat transfer.
  • Impact on Gloves: These gloves are designed to insulate and resist thermal penetration over time, ensuring heat does not transfer to the skin.

Key Differences: Spark Heat vs. Contact Heat

FeatureSpark HeatContact Heat
SourceSparks from welding or grindingHot objects or surfaces
DurationBrief, intermittent burstsContinuous or sustained
Glove RequirementsDo not ignite, melt, or burnHigh insulation, heat-resistant

Applications for Each Type of Heat Protection

Industries That Require Spark Heat Protection

  • Welding: Sparks generated during arc welding processes like MIG (Metal Inert Gas) and Stick Welding (Shielded Metal Arc Welding).
  • Metal Cutting and Grinding: Sparks produced when grinding, cutting, or abrasive blasting metal surfaces, creating intense bursts of heat due to friction between metal and tools.
  • Fabrication Shops: Processes such as welding, grinding, or cutting metal components that create frequent bursts of sparks during assembly and shaping tasks.

Industries That Require Contact Heat Protection

  • Welding: Prolonged exposure to high temperatures generated during TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding, where precise and controlled heat is applied to metal surfaces.
  • Manufacturing: Handling heated machinery or components, such as hot pipes, tools, and equipment, requiring prolonged heat resistance.
  • Glass and Ceramic Production: Moving hot materials, like molten glass or ceramic products, during fabrication.
  • Metal Casting: Contact with molds, pipes, or molten metal, where high levels of heat are transferred to the gloves and hands.

Choosing the Right Heat Protection Work Gloves

  • Understand Your Workplace Hazards: Conduct a risk assessment to identify the type and level of heat exposure in your work environment.
  • Check Industry Standards:
    • EN 407: An internationally recognized standard that evaluates glove performance under high-temperature exposure.
    • ASTM F1060: Based on ANSI/ISEA 105 guidelines, this North American standard classifies gloves for heat protection.
    • For more detailed insights into heat protection ratings and industry standards, read our blog, Mastering Workplace Safety: Understanding Heat Protection in Work Gloves.
  • Fit and Comfort Test: Ensure gloves provide sufficient dexterity and comfort without compromising protection.

Checklist to Ensuring Worker Safety

  • Conduct regular PPE training on proper glove selection and usage.
  • Perform frequent equipment checks to ensure gloves meet safety standards.
  • Replace gloves at the first signs of wear, such as thin spots or burns.

Heat protection in the workplace is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Understanding the key differences between spark and contact heat is essential for selecting the proper PPE. Whether facing the quick bursts of spark heat or managing the demands of contact heat, the right gloves can make all the difference. Equip your team with the proper protection to confidently tackle thermal hazards and maintain a safe working environment.

Discover the ECODEXTM 700B Air-Urea Welding and Grinding Work Gloves

At Liberty Safety, we offer the ECODEX 700B Welding and Grinding Gloves as a solution to combat thermal hazards.

Key Features and Benefits

  • Spark Heat Protection: Engineered for welding, grinding, and metal cutting. These gloves won’t ignite, melt, or burn from incidental contact with sparks or flames.
  • High Dexterity: The ergonomic fit delivers exceptional dexterity, allowing workers to easily handle small parts like welding rods, torches, and grinders.
  • Air-Urea™ Coating Technology: A 70% water-based formula that provides 360° breathability, helping to keep hands cool by maintaining body temperature control. Over time, they conform to the natural shape of the hand, offering a “bare-hand” feel for enhanced grip and dexterity.

For more information or to place an order, visit the ECODEX 700B product page online and request a quote today.

Your safety is our priority. It’s all part of our Freedom in Full Gear Promise!